Launch a career in agriculture

If you're looking to make your mark in an industry that is both at the fine point of science and technology and key to sustaining life on planet Earth, look no further than agriculture.

UFV's Agriculture Technology diploma provides you with a strong foundation to launch a career in this fast-moving field. In your first year, you complete a certificate in either Livestock Production or Horticulture Crop Production and Protection. In your second year, you develop additional expertise in your chosen area of practice, learn about sustainable holistic agricultural practices, and explore issues relating to on-farm food safety, quality, and security.

You also beef up your marketing, writing, and business skills — highly valued in the workplace — both by completing coursework and a hands-on enterprise project where you get to develop a business plan for an agricultural venture.

You have many opportunities to apply what you learn at the UFV Agriculture Centre, which is equipped with the latest agricultural technology, and where you get to rub shoulders with expert faculty who are engaged in meaningful research. A final practicum provides you with the opportunity to gain work experience and further enhances your employment prospects.

If you have selected the Horticulture option, you can choose to transfer your credits towards a four-year Bachelor in Agricultural Science from UFV. Or after you've gained experience in the industry, you may wish to complete a Bachelor of Business Administration for Agriculture Management to learn business management theories and practices and prepare to take up a leadership role in any agribusiness or agricultural agency.

Career outlook for Agriculture Technology

High quality soils, a moderate climate, and accessible water, combined with proximity to large markets, make the Fraser Valley a hub for agricultural production and agribusiness. In fact, the Fraser Valley Regional District reports that the Fraser Valley ranks #1 in B.C. based on gross farm receipts. In Abbotsford alone, the agriculture sector contributes more than 11,000 jobs and $1.8 billion to the economy, or about 35 per cent of the total gross domestic product generated in the city. In Chillwack, an estimated 29 per cent of the economic activity relates directly to agriculture.

As a graduate of the UFV Agriculture Technology diploma, you may find employment in farming operations, agribusiness companies, pest management companies, greenhouses, nurseries, parks, and government agencies. Opportunities also exist in management, sales, marketing, or research with agricultural supplies companies, equipment dealers, seed companies, agricultural consulting firms, farmers' markets, and food processing research and development firms.